Putting Thoughts

Putting is very individualistic and there are many ways to putt well.

The main aspect of putting is confidence, and confidence in ones technique and abilities.

If you think and tell yourself often enough you are a good putter and you believe it, you will be. This is just a self imposed brain washing.
Bearing in mind that the mind is the main power behind putting great, a good technique will always help.

Here are a few things you could look at.

Picking the right line.

Sounds simple, but some people don't know where they are aiming.
Look at your putt from as many angles as you feel comfortable (this should be done before it is your turn to putt, with only the final lining up from behind the ball on your turn)

Stand behind the putt, visualize the line the putt will take and ball going in. Then pick a spot, mark or piece of grass about 2" in front of your ball on that line. As you walk up to take your stance DO NOT take your eye off or lose your concentration on that mark. This is the mark your ball and putter head must pass over for the ball to go into the hole.

You then take your stance beside the ball, take a couple of practice swings to get the feel of the speed. Then step into your putt, still with your concentration on your mark, aim your putter head square to the mark, then try one or two looks at the hole, but always coming back to the mark you have picked. Then you look at the mark or the ball (which ever you prefer because your putter head should already be lined up to your mark) and putt the ball positively, moving the ball and square putter head over your chosen mark and on the correct line to the hole.

The main part of this lesson is that you need a mark to putt over between you and the hole and a routine that you must follow, EVERY TIME! (people have all sorts of routines and mark distances between you and the hole and you have to find the best routine for you. You will be different to other people.
Keyword: Mark.

Positively putting your ball.

You must be positive when putting. Once establishing your chosen line, believe and hit. Your back swing should be kept low to the ground and you must accelerate up and through the ball. If you have problems doing this shorten your back swing, this will encourage acceleration through the ball.
Keyword: Acceleration.

Ball position.

This is very personal. You will find the ideal ball position around the middle of your stance, where you feel comfortable. If you miss a lot of putts to the left the ball may be to far forward in your stance and if you miss right it might be to far back. One thing that does work is on bad or cored greens place the ball further forward to promote hitting up on the back of the ball to get the best roll. Focus on hitting up and creating top spin which will help the ball hold its line and run smoother across the bumpy surface.
Keywords: Top spin

Eyes over the ball.

Another personal feeling. The common teachings is that you must have your eyes over the ball. This is good, but not essential, some of the best putters had their eyes well inside the line of the putt and ball (Ben Crenshaw and Justin Leonard).
You can find out where your eyes are by taking your putting stance with a ball in place, then hold another ball on the bridge of your nose and drop it. If you have your eyes are over the ball, the dropped ball will hit the ball on the ground.
Key phrase: Over the ball.

Back swing.

Some common teachings are that you must take the putter head away square keep it square, and follow through square. This is very difficult to do all the time and very unnatural. The longer the putt, the harder it is. It only has to be square when you hit the ball. Try not to drive yourself mad trying to keep the putter head square through the whole stroke. Ben Crenshaw let the putter go back a little on the inside and after hitting the putt the putter finished on the inside (like a door opening and closing).
Keyword: Square

The use of the wrists.

Modern teachings tell us that the wrists should be locked in place with the rocking of the shoulders producing the hit. If you look at Arnold Palmer, Bobby Locke and Gary Player, all of these golfers were all wrists. Most put this down to the quality of the greens they putted on, this could be right. My thoughts are that the wrists should be kept "quiet" but not "asleep" with only a small amount of wrist break in longer putts in the style of Seve Ballesteros.
Keyword: Quiet

Stance, feet and shoulders.

The feet can be any way you want, square would be the most logical but, open or closed as long as you deliver a square strike on the ball, its up to you. More important than the feet are the shoulders, these should be square to the line This will help promote a good putter path through the rocking of the shoulders and putting the hands in the right position through the putt.

Rocking of the shoulders.

This is the best way of putting a good strike on the ball. A relaxed rocking of the shoulders with the feeling of the right elbow "glued" to the right side, square shoulders and a slight open stance makes a good combination. But you don't want to be an entire shoulder putter, as this cuts of the sensitive feel of the hands, there should always be some wrist break.
Keyword: Glued

Grip.

We have left this to last, as its what works for you! Not to tight, you must produce a soft feel. Producing a soft feel means having a good feel for speed, it is hard to describe and even harder to teach. The bodies most sensitive parts are the fingers so as long as you have fingers on the putter you will have feel. The USPGA Tour has all sorts of players holding the putter in all sorts of ways.

A nice combination for a relaxed putt.

20 degree open stance, feet a comfortable distance apart, ball in the middle of the stance, shoulders square, holding the putter in your fingers, with the feeling of the right elbow glued to the right side.

You then rock the shoulders, break the wrists a little (depending on the distance of the putt, short putts require no wrist break) take the putter back a short distance and accelerate through and across the mark you picked out with the feeling of the putter head going over the mark and the back of the left hand going toward the hole. Ball goes in and you celebrate!

Some Key putting thoughts on pressure putts.

Good Key phrase: Slow and smooth back and through.
There are only two results from a putt. It is either going to go in or its not, the sun will still come up tomorrow. If you set up correctly and aim correctly a lot are going in. Don't put pressure on yourself.

Putting great is generally under 30 putts per round of golf. Only count putts on the green. If you already are doing this, don't change a thing!!

Happy putting, eat your greens.